How A*STAR is enhancing the research ecosystem in Singapore: RIE2020 portal and Future InfoComm System Team applications

A*STAR researchers can look for details, such
as eligibility criteria, funding quantum, opening and close of grant calls, on
all RIE2020 Funding Initiatives provided by the funding agencies under one
centralised online portal.

This is part of a continuing series on how
the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is constantly working
to support researchers in Singapore and enhance the research ecosystem.

Click here to
read the first instalment on the Federated Identity Management System or FIMs and
the second
part on the electronic Chemicals,
Biomaterials, Gases Management System.

RIE2020
portal

In 2016, the Singapore Government announced
the RIE2020 plan, committing
S$19 billion to Research, Innovation and Enterprise over a period of five years.
Updates were announced last year regarding focus in the four technology domains
of the Plan- Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering (AME),
Health & Biomedical Sciences (HBMS),
Services & Digital Economy (SDE) and Urban Solutions & Sustainability (USS).

But for the agencies involved in this government-wide
push, such as the National Research Foundation (NRF), A*STAR, Ministry of
Health (MOH), Ministry of Education (MOE) and more, there was no common
platform to upload the funding initiatives under RIE2020.

To address this concern, A*STAR developed an Integrated Research,
Innovation and Enterprise 2020 Portal System as a cross-agency collaboration
project.

This integrated online portal will serve
as a valuable platform for the research community in Singapore and provides a much
needed resource to improve the efficiency and productivity.

This project demonstrates A*STAR’s initiative, innovation and commitment
to address the current challenges faced by the research community with a
simple, creative and easy to implement a solution within a short time frame.

A*STAR researchers can search for details, such as eligibility criteria,
funding quantum, opening and close of grant calls) on all RIE2020 Funding
Initiatives provided by the funding agencies under this one centralised online
portal.

The successful launch of RIE2020 Funding Initiatives Portal has benefitted
not just A*STAR but also many external organisations, as there is now a common
platform for the users to upload and manage the RIE2020
funding effectively.

Future
InfoComm System Team (FIST) -
Applications

A*STAR’s Information
Technology Shared Services (ITSS) Group has developed several applications
under FIST. Some of thejm are highlighted below.

Face
Recognition

The Proof of Concept
for Face Recognition Application (FR) developed by ITSS is equipped with the
ability to intelligently recognise and identify the person via key features on
the face.

There are many
potential uses for the platform including tracking and monitoring the people’s
identity at entrances and exits of A*STAR Offices / Buildings / Laboratories and
enhancing the experience of visitors coming to A*STAR with ‘Greetings &
Acknowledgement’.

Mobile
Incident Notification Application

The team has also
developed a Mobile Incident Notification Application (MINA), providing a
convenient platform for staff to lodge a Health, Safety and Environment (HSE)
incident report using their mobile phones.

Through this mobile
application, an incident report can be lodged conveniently by anyone, anytime,
anywhere, using any handheld device (on IOS and Android). A*STAR’s HSE/
Infrastructure Planning and Facility Management (IPFM) department subsequently
follows up on these alerts.

The staff can easily
download the application via scanning QR code from A*STAR’s MINA publicity (or)
approach any of staff from A*STAR FIST Booth for the mobile QR code.

Mobile Device
GPS and Van Tracking System

The Mobile Device GPS
and Van Tracking System (MDGTS) is a web application that can track movement of
the vehicles within campus. This application provides real-time information on
the shuttle bus status between Biopolis and Fusionopolis. The Shuttle Bus
Services can be tracked live on a Screen.

The application uses
GPS to capture the vehicle movement in real-time, and provides the staff with improved
visibility of vehicles movements, and help them better plan their schedules.

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